Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch)

Oh, how fast those laptops grow. Microsoft’s pre-eminent workstation is back, and it’s literally bigger than ever. The Surface Book 2 ($2,499 to start; $3,299 as tested) comes in a 15-inch size and has a few new additions, including an8-Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU and, finally, USB Type-C. While it’s aesthetically quite similar to the old, 13-inch model, the under-the-hood improvements make it superfast, and the new size allows more room to create and play. If you can overcome its massive price tag, the Surface Book 2 is the most powerful and functional 2-in-1 you can get.

Design

The biggest aesthetic change Microsoft made with the Surface Book 2 was making it larger. The 15-inch model is the new flagship, with a larger screen and base. (If you prefer the 13.5-inch size, don’t worry; that’s still available. See Configurations, below.)

The magnesium lid is still a matte gray, with the Windows logo in reflective silver. It continues Microsoft’s plain-but-modern look that emphasizes the screen over all else. Lifting the lid reveals the 3240 x 2160 display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, as well as the base, which includes the removable base with keyboard. The keyboard dock features the same gentle slopes as the previous Surface Book with performance base, and has a few vents near the hinge, which is especially important now that this thing is packing a GTX 1060 GPU.

REVIEW

Oh, how fast those laptops grow. Microsoft’s pre-eminent workstation is back, and it’s literally bigger than ever. The Surface Book 2 ($2,499 to start; $3,299 as tested) comes in a 15-inch size and has a few new additions, including an8-Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU and, finally, USB Type-C. While it’s aesthetically quite similar to the old, 13-inch model, the under-the-hood improvements make it superfast, and the new size allows more room to create and play. If you can overcome its massive price tag, the Surface Book 2 is the most powerful and functional 2-in-1 you can get.

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Design

The biggest aesthetic change Microsoft made with the Surface Book 2 was making it larger. The 15-inch model is the new flagship, with a larger screen and base. (If you prefer the 13.5-inch size, don’t worry; that’s still available. See Configurations, below.)

The magnesium lid is still a matte gray, with the Windows logo in reflective silver. It continues Microsoft’s plain-but-modern look that emphasizes the screen over all else. Lifting the lid reveals the 3240 x 2160 display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, as well as the base, which includes the removable base with keyboard. The keyboard dock features the same gentle slopes as the previous Surface Book with performance base, and has a few vents near the hinge, which is especially important now that this thing is packing a GTX 1060 GPU.

The design is still a little awkward because of the fulcrum hinge. Microsoft says it’s stronger than those on previous models, though I did find that it would wobble a bit when I used the Surface Book 2 on my lap. And, as on the original Surface Book before it, the Surface Book 2’s hinge doesn’t allow it to close completely flush.Porsche Design managed to pull off similar functionality without any extra space, and I wish Microsoft would have updated its own machine for a cleaner look.

Ports

The Surface Book 2 largely maintains the sameports from the original, 2015 Surface Book, with one noticeable exception: USB Type-C. Microsoft had previouslyleft the new connector off all its previous devices, including theSurface Laptop.